SANParks.org ForumsDiscussing the National Parks of South Africa2012-10-10T10:38:58+02:00https://www.sanparks.org/forums/feed.php?f=23&t=662122012-10-10T10:38:58+02:002012-10-10T10:38:58+02:00https://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=66212&p=1803162#p1803162

]]>2012-10-08T23:21:54+02:002012-10-08T23:21:54+02:00https://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=66212&p=1801864#p1801864A group of Junior Rangers from Pretoria region had the opportunity to visit Marakele National Park from 5-7 October 2012.

For many of the children it was a first ever visit to one of our national parks and a great opportunity to learn more and experience nature in a new way.

The SANParks staff taught the children valuable lessons about the importance of our environment and the need to take care of it. They also kept the children active and entertained with lots of songs and games.

The park is very dry at the moment, but at the same time it offers great opportunities to view the animals. The children were quite excited to meet some lions just a few hundred meters from the environmental education centre where they were staying. A rare roan antelope even made an appearance! The SANParks guides told them lots of interesting facts about the animals they saw and the geology of the area.

The group was led by honorary rangers from Pretoria and the Virtual regions. The HRs did not only do the cooking but also ensured that everyone got some sleep at night and taught the children about animal signs and behaviour. Saturday evening was quiz time, and three groups competed against each other to test their knowledge and see who learned the most.

A big thank you to SANParks and the Virtual Region who helped to make this event possible and who sponsored some of the children.